Facing Off
by BlackCatRunning
Summary: (Pokemon Origins; Anime Universe) After getting beaten by Red and having his dream taken from him, just how did Green cope with the loss? And is he ready to see Red again after all this time? (One-shot, mild angst, happy ending)


**A/N: Just watched Pokemon Origin, and uwaaaaaaaaaa~~~! My CHILDHOOD!.. Seriously, anyone who loves Pokemon, I recommend it. It's short, but it brought back so many happy memories, and portrays the main characters as they are meant to be (nothing against Ash w..)**

 **Even though Green is a giant meanie-head, he's always been my favorite. And if you play the game and watch the short Origin series, it's almost sad how many things get taken from him. True, he's a jerk, but he's got a good heart beneath that egotism and has his dignity handed to him by Red on more than a few occasions. He's suffered so much, I just** _ **had**_ **to give him another helping ;D**

 **I wrote this pretty quickly, so the quality may be poor, and the plot kind of rushed. But I wanted to get it out of my system, since I'm writing plenty of other longer fiction works right now too xDD**

 _ **Facing the Past**_

Green couldn't say he was pleased with himself, or his situation. Life had taken strange and unsatisfying directions recently. Somehow, he always knew Red would overtake him one day—he just hadn't known when. Ever since they were kids, Green fought to surpass him at each moment, each activity, feeling a kindling warmth in his chest when Red's eyes got misty with defeat. There was a kind of security, safety, in knowing he was the better of the two. But it constantly wavered.

Gramps would smile more often at Red while growing up, sometimes even telling Green to become more like the boy. "He grows differently than you do," the Professor would say. "You would do well to learn from him." Green didn't want to learn from Red just as much as he didn't want to learn from anyone. Great people taught themselves, rose up out of their own talents by achieving perfection. At least, that's what Green had always thought. After receiving the Pokedex and starting his journey, there was no question in his mind that he did everything right. Red was always two steps behind him, struggling along, pulling wins and success from the ashes of his defeats.

Green was the Pokemon Champion for, what he believed, the shortest amount of time in history. Red took that from him, and worst of all, Gramps had been there for Red's win. Not his own grandson's. Had taken _Red_ into the inner sanctum to be inducted, while Green sat on the steps steeped in his loss.

And then of course Red had to complete the Pokedex first, just _had_ to give the Professor that satisfaction before Green could. Just _had_ to catch all those rare, once-in-a-lifetime Pokemon that will never be caught again. Not to mention Green was laid up in bed after nearly being killed by an unknown species of Pokemon _he himself_ discovered. Which Red ended up catching, naturally.

After Red left to find Mew, the possibly the final Pokemon for the Pokedex, Green fled town as well. He didn't want to stick around and feel old memories rise up around him. They were painful, shameful, and frankly things he would rather leave behind him. Gramps told him he lost to Red because he didn't "trust his Pokemon?" Hn.. He left without saying a word to anyone, in the morning before even the sun was up; and he left all of his Pokemon behind. This would be his new beginning.

And so far, it left much to be desired. Since he had been all around the Kanto region before, Green wasted little time in places he didn't like, and to his own surprise, caught exactly no Pokemon in the process of travelling. The situation with Red and immediate dissolving of Green's fame left him unmotivated to do much more than mope around, looking for himself. He did people the favor of avoiding them, so they didn't have to see it. His purpose in life had been taken from him, like a rug pulled beneath his feet. Green had been so close, and then—... Red.

Out of all the locations in Kanto, Green's favorite had to be Victory Road. It was pulsing with the power of strong, brooding creatures. Currently, he sat in a damp, drafty corner with his one source of companionship—a Growlithe that had taken a peculiar liking to him when he passed through Route 7. She was crying beneath a bush, quite small and soft, from what Green assumed was either loneliness or pain. It turned out to be both, when he scooped her up and took her to a nearby PokeCenter. He surprised himself, honestly. He probably wouldn't have wasted his time a year ago, but something in him had changed. The young man felt the compulsion to take her, as if it was his duty as a person, or ex-trainer.

Following her diagnoses and fast recovery, she followed him everywhere. He dubbed her Wonder, because he would often do just that when confronted with the reason as to why she liked him. Never did it occur to him to catch her, despite her growing loyalty and sweet disposition. Wonder didn't strike him as a fighter, and he wouldn't make her. He found, over time and over the miles, he didn't have the desire for that anymore.

" _Het'kSHUH!_ "

Though Wonder did indeed grow. Just because Green never asked her to battle didn't mean she would avoid it. More times than he could count, Wonder had stood between him and a threatening Pokemon. The first few times, he watched her fight on her own. But soon, it wasn't uncommon for Green to speak a solemn suggestion to her as she sparred, teaching her the proper way to battle. After a year or two, Green came to trust her with his life, and she held the same for him.

" _hh-.. Het'ktCSHUH!_ "

Sometimes Green thought about his family and friends back home. He was almost eighteen now, and hadn't seen or heard from them in a long time. He would be surprised if anyone cared where he was. Red had probably discovered a new continent or planet or something, and had become the President of the place.

"... _Hih'KSH_ _ **YUUH!**_ "

Wonder glanced up from her curled position the ground by his feet, fixing him with a stern glare. Any other person observing her expression would say she was frustrated with Green making a racket, but her companion knew exactly what she was saying to him.

"I'b dot getti'g sick," he griped, using a dirty, slick forearm to wipe his nose. They had been living off the land and the occasional diner for a while now. Consistent personal hygiene was a luxury. Apparently, so was his health. He had been sniffling since the day before yesterday, his throat tight, and the sneezing came in waves. Green was also certain there was a fever brewing too.

Wonder wasn't buying it. The two of them had spent more time with one another than they had with any other trainer or Pokemon, and the fact that they coincided and worked as a team without the use of a pokeball made the bond all the stronger. She stood up and stretched, before padding over to sit next to him. All his reminiscing was forgotten in favor of present events, and Green reached up with a strong hand to scratch her head. With a mammoth sniffle, he cleared his consonants.

"And even if I was, it's not like we're destitute," he said, smirking. "I know this place better than any person in the entire world, I bet." Just because Red had destroyed his confidence with formal battling and training, that didn't mean Green had lost his egotism when it came to life. With a grunt, he pushed himself up to his feet. Wonder took the handle of their electric lantern between her teeth, preparing to carry it as she always did to illuminate the darkness.

"It's getting cold, so let's head back out toward—"

A great, rumbling roar emerged from the darkness not far from them. Judging by the cadence, it came from an Onyx. Instinctively, Green reached down and took Wonder into his arms. At one point he would have died rather than run from a fight, but today he thought differently. He saw no point in picking something with an Onyx if it was avoidable. Wonder was passive but alert in his arms. Her orange and black coat felt matted and cool; Green mentally reminded himself to get her to a PokeCenter for a bath. The roar came again, this time mingled with another sound.

Green might have turned and run if it wasn't for the familiar voice. The voice that had come from the wind behind him as he ran, rang out during battle with complete conviction—

"...Red?"

As if calling the name as all it took, a washing cascade of rock and debris exploded above their heads, raining like dry hail. Green bent himself into a crouch, protecting Wonder from any injury, but it was at the cost of his own safety. A couple large, jagged rocks caught him in the back, and one nailed him on the back of the neck. They stung, but long years in the field had made Green sturdy. He straightened up, dusty and scraped. Wonder fretfully licked at a bleeding wound at his jaw-line.

The cave's acoustics were too poor to produce accurate echos, but Green was sure that it was Red's voice in the gloom and darkness. When he peeked around the edge of a boulder, his suspicions were confirmed: Red was battling an Onyx with-... what _was_ that? Some blue alligator looking thing? Green had never seen anything like it. Red sounded like he was calling it, "Croclaw?".. Something? It was a water type for sure, since it was using a form of what appeared to be Hydro Pump. There was another reverberating crash, and more boulders broke from the Onyx's flailing.

The second onslaught was more dust than rock, and it left Green coughing, in want of air. Luckily there was too much commotion for Red to hear, which was fine by Green. He wasn't so sure he was ready to talk with Red, even after all this time. There was still a visceral sense of jealousy within Green, something he had not yet purged from his soul. Seeing Red now would just unearth all that he had buried. He didn't want that. Wonder could sense these feelings within Green, and whined at him plaintively. Trying to quiet her, he sniffled and moved back further into the shadows. Now it was too silent for him to make a noise, unless he wanted to alarm Red to his presence. The trainer was congratulating his Pokemon on a job well-done, while also giving some tips for next time.

The boy had grown older, just as Green had. Red was taller, his clothes more mature and expensive, though the hat was still the same one he had worn since he was a kid. Green himself hadn't looked in a mirror in a while. No telling what he looked like-... Great, now he _really_ couldn't let Red see him! Think of all the horrible things he could say! Or tell people! And now, naturally, came the tell-tale tickle in his nose. He gritted his teeth to fight it, but Wonder (who was now fidgety and worried) brushed her tail just under his nostrils right as he inhaled-

 _"Ehh?.. '_ _ **TISCHH'**_ _huh!..."_

He could have strangled her if he didn't love her so much, and he communicated this through a very watery-eyed, red-nosed snarl. Red glanced up from his crocodile-thing and looked around him, pin-pointing on the location of the noise.

"Who's there?"

Green meant to just stay still, his back to the wall of rock, but his cold-ridden sinuses were still bothered by the dust and the fur, forcing him into a back-bending, " _ **RRRUSHHHH!**_ _"_ That one spangled his vision with stars and when he looked back up, bleary, he found himself face to face with the one person he hoped he would never see again.

" _Green?"_ The way Red was looking at him—eyes narrowed and mouth agape, like he hardly believed what he was seeing—made Green sick inside. He must look terrible to warrant such a reaction. Suddenly self-conscious, he ran an arm beneath his nose to both itch and clean it.

"Yeah," he mumbled. He wasn't sure what else he could possibly say. "Why? Happy to see me?"

To his shock, Red reached forward and crushed him into an embrace. The arms around him were bigger than he remembered, and Green could do nothing but blink, speechless. Wonder, sandwiched between her best friend and a stranger, wasn't too happy overall. But as much as Green hadn't wanted to see this strange person, she could tell there was no violent or ill-will coming from him. Because of this, she permitted them to touch one another.

"Yes!" Red said, overcome. "We thought you were lost to us, or dead when you never came home! Where have you been? What are you doing?" He stepped back with his hands still on Green's shoulders to look him over, beginning to frown at what he saw. The man looked like he had been homeless for months, lean and hung in tattered, dirty clothing. Red's eyes rested on the Growlithe in Green's arms for a brief moment, then returned to his old rival's face. "What's happened to you?"

The disappointment and fear in those words might have been enough to break Green into tears if he was a weaker man. Time out alone had given him self reliance and an iron-clad poker face, so he just shrugged off Red's hands and bent to put Wonder on the ground. However, now that the dust had settled and the adrenaline gone, Green paused in pain as his back throbbed. The places where the rocks pelted him were turning to welts, and he would have to be slow and careful about how he moved. Wonder saw the pain play across his face and chose to sit just between his legs, rubbing her muzzle against his pants. Red watched this display.

"She really loves you," he remarked, having never thought Green was capable of fostering such an adorably strong bond with one of his Pokemon. "You must have trained her well."

The word "train" felt like a slap to the face, and Green felt his eyes burn with tears he would never let come, especially not in front of Red. Feelings like this were supposed to be in the past. He was stronger than this.

"I didn't," he admitted, and kept his gaze down as Red's own features grew soft in surprise. "I never caught her. We're just friends."

Just friends? Red wasn't sure what to say to that. This person in front of him was completely unlike the Green he had known as a child, as a new trainer. Now he was...

His throat twinged, and he began to cough, turning his head to do so. The sound made Red jump, and he peered at Green a bit closer in concern. A slow hand came up in reflex to test his temperature when he turned back around, but Green's own reaction time was astounding. Red found his hand slapped away before he had a chance to register the retaliation.

"Look," Green sighed. "It's nice to see you, but I have things to do."

Red was incredulous. "What things? What could you possibly be doing right now?"

 _Keeping away from you,_ Green thought darkly, but he couldn't bring himself to say that. It was bad enough Red had to see him in such a low place, let alone know about his sensitive, inner feelings on the matter. Anything he would have said in his defense died on his lips when he noticed that Red still had his weird Pokemon out. Red followed Green's gaze and brightened when he noticed the subject of the attention.

"Oh, you haven't heard about my trip to the Johto region, have you?"

"Why would I?" Green snapped. Red continued his blathering undeterred, though, excitedly going on about another region not too far from Kanto where brand new species of Pokemon waited for capture.

"It's an amazing time to be a trainer, Green!" Red said, smiling down at what he identified as a Croconaw. The blue creature gave a hearty shout in agreement, just as exuberant as its trainer. Green, feeling the weight of sickness, pain, and emotional fatigue could not muster even half of their energy. In fact, as Red prattled on, he felt himself dangerously close to dozing. Wonder, closely in tune with Green's heart, looked up at him. She could tell he would rather be anywhere else but here, and quickly made her mind to make that happen. With as impressive agility as her human companion, she darted into the darkness. Green roused himself from his sleepy attentiveness and bolted after her, determined not to lose her to the cave's depths. He was too tired for this.

"Wonder!" he called after her, at first afraid. But as he came upon her form, and her mischievous expression, he understood what she was playing at. He thanked the universe for such a resourceful and kind travelling partner. "Uh-.. Smell ya later, Red!" He probably could have come up with a more profound parting line, but his brain was running on half capacity. Red would not be lost so easily.

"Wha?! Green! Wait!" The trainer sped after him, keeping up easily. Green convinced himself it was because he wasn't feeling well—not because Red was any greater of an athlete. He did not think he could take his old rival beating him at yet another thing in life. Green needed at least _something_ he could win at.

The chase went on longer than either Green or Wonder expected, and it wasn't but a few minutes in that Green felt winded. His temperature, already higher than usual from fever, brought his blood up to boiling with the physical exertion. He felt his heart pounding in his head, his breath impossible to catch. What's worse, he felt another sneeze-…

" _MMPHH'uuu!_ " He tried to muffle it in his shoulder, but squeaked through. The veracity of it snapped him forward and he tripped, skidding and rolling across the ground before coming to a stop on his back. How did he sink this low? It was all his fault; that much was certain. Wonder ran to him, whining, insisting he sit up. But he could hardly catch his breath, let alone sprint to the nearest exit. Panicked, Wonder stood resolutely by his side as Red approached, panting, eyes wide at the sight.

"Green?" He took a few steps toward the two of them, but Wonder stopped him with an angry growling. She didn't want Red anywhere near Green anymore because it was making him upset. She had sworn herself for his protection, and he for hers. Just like any other time she had to fight, she would fight.

Red tried to soothe her. "Hey, it's okay!" he said, hands out in a motion for peace. "I'm his friend, just like you are. He's hurt and sick, it seems. I just want to help." But Growlithe were a tenacious species, and fiercely loyal to those they bonded with. Red knew from the wide stance of her legs to the show of teeth that Wonder wasn't going to let him lay a hand on Green.

He could hear Green breathing, the noise slightly stunted and wheezing, body begging for air. He winced. For Green's sake, he would have to do this-...

"If you don't move, I'm going to battle you!" he warned, hoping that merely the threat would give the fire-type enough fear to give up. He knew it was a false wish, but he had to try. Unfortunately, his threat had the exact opposite effect he'd intended. Wonder grew yet more feral, and Green forced himself into a sitting position.

"No!" he barked, and his voice came from deep in his body. It hurt to speak that loudly, but Green needed to be understood. "Don't do that." His deliberate command disturbed Red—in the past, this young man would have battled tooth and nail with any Pokemon just for the fun of it. Now he was weak, fevered, and begging not to in fear of hurting a creature that technically wasn't even his.

"I'm fine," the boy insisted. Red wasn't so sure. Wonder stood first and offered her body as leverage to help Green stand, which he did use with a sigh. Once on his feet, he felt the pain settle along his limbs. The aches from his cold and the collateral wounds from the earlier battle both roused and dulled him. Each movement stung him to awareness, but made him all the more desirous of sleep.

Green reminded himself that this was how his Pokemon probably felt while he battled, back when that was his ambition. Little rest, thankless skill, and an almost futile effort expended on battles that never amounted to anything but fame for the trainer. Memories of the Elite Four bubbled up and Green's eyes watered over with the tears he had been containing all this time. Red watched helplessly, unsure if he was supposed to approach or ignore this display. Wonder, experiencing the strife of her companion, buried her muzzle into Green's leg and whined.

The two stayed still before Green knelt and gathered Wonder into his arms. He was too tired to pick her up, so he merely hunched, keeping his face pressed into her coat to absorb his tears. Croconaw and Red observed, one intently and the other uncomfortably. Red was a good trainer and a knowledgeable person, but his implicit understanding of Pokemon stifled his ability to do the same for humans. He wasn't sure what to do. Croconaw, on the other hand, could understand completely. The raw emotion emanating from the bond was enough to make the Pokemon step back and look up at Red, urging him to do _something_.

So Red tried. Moving before anyone could stop him, he stooped and took Green beneath the armpits, hoisting him up and at once cringing at how light the young man felt in his arms. Green felt the force behind him, raising him, and with what strength he had left, he flailed out of the hold.

"I don't need your help!" Once it was out of his mouth, Green realized how hopelessly boyish he sounded, still stuck in the past no matter how hard he tried to loose himself from its grip. Red was just as steadfast as he had always been, and refused to let go of his long-lost rival.

"Yes, you do!" he insisted, locking his arms around Green's and keeping him still. "Just let me give it to you!"

"I don't want it!" Green continued to insist on it, desperate to make himself understood. It was the last thing he wanted, especially right now. His cold caught up with him, eyes slitting before his chest inflated. " _ick'k_ _ **SHUHH!**_ _"_

He didn't feel finished, but tried to downplay the fluttering of his breath and nostrils for dignity's sake. This was the worst timing possible. Couldn't the universe at least do him a favor and not have his rival come upon him in this condition? Seeing Red would have been unpleasant enough _without_ the cold. Red's hands were rough and a little chilly against Green's bare arms as they struggled, which led the sick boy to shiver in response.

"You have a fever! Don't be stupid and elevate it even more!"

Even if Red spoke with wisdom, the temptation for Green to run himself until collapse grew stronger. Wonder, meanwhile, had been thwarted in her attempts to reach her friend. Croconaw kept her at arm's length, trying both to placate her and detain her. While the Water Pokemon did not want to fight, he realized he would probably have to. Wonder made it clear in language and in action that she would rip Red's flesh from his bones if he hurt Green. Green himself couldn't decide what to deal with first: the boy assaulting him, or the Pokemon ready to commit assault. To be honest with himself, he didn't feel like dealing with either.

When he suddenly sneezed again, both Red and Green lost balance for a moment, and the larger boy used it as an opportunity to escape. He rammed an elbow into Red's gut, springing forward with the momentum to break into a run.

Wonder kept up with her master, her agility impressive for her bulky stature. Red shouted for Croconaw to grab her, but her speed outmatched him. As Green and Wonder ducked into the shadows, the opposing duo followed. It would be impossible to outrun them due to fatigue and the terrain. Coughing, the ex-Champion looked down at his companion.

"Flare Blitz the… walls in this…n-next overhang," he said, voice breathy from both the exertion. Wonder barked in understanding as they passed through, and with great power, she glowed with flames and hurled herself at one wall, then the other. After jumping from one side to the other, she redirected herself and ran after Green, who was flagging.

The rocks rained, and the walls collapsed, boxing Red out effectively. There were ways around, of course, but all would take a little while to traverse. With any luck, Green would be long gone by then. They heard the Champion swear loudly, pounding a fist against the rock. Wonder, eyes narrowed and body stiff, watched as Green doubled over with coughing from the stirred dust. She had been supportive of his motives the entire time, though his waning health gave her pause. She knew Green to be quiet and serious, usually a strategic tactician, but today his pride and past were getting the best of him. Wonder could not trust his judgment right now.

If he would not let Red carry him to safety, then she would have to do it. And Wonder preferred it that way.

Only when the fresh walls begin shuddering did Green glance from his place on the ground. He had gone to his knees in from exhaustion and overheating, eyes puffy. With a ragged gasp, his put a hand to his throbbing head. "Damn it.."

Red was using either a Sandshrew or Sandslash to drill through the debris, so if they weren't fast, they'd be caught for sure. Even so, Green couldn't get himself to stand. He just wanted to sleep all of a sudden; his vision rippled like the surface of a turbulent pond.

Green realized his cheek was to the floor. How did that happen? The surface was so nice and cool compared to his face, which felt like it had sucked all the heat of his body into his forehead, behind his eyes. Some rustling caught his attention, and he found Wonder rooting around in his knapsack. It was uncommon, but Green wasn't surprised. He kept sweets for her in the front pouch for easy reach; however, she was nosing in the main compartment.

It was official. No more energy left, and he could feel it. It was humiliating, is what it was. Red would bust through, find him, scold him, and haul him home like a hero. Yet another thing Red could do that Green couldn't. Another notch in that heavy, flashy belt. The irony stung.

Green didn't know his eyes were closed until there was a brilliant glow behind his eyelids. Cracking them open, he started as Wonder stood over him. She was no longer the little Growlithe he had found, nursed, and raised. Now, she towered above him as a powerful, regal Arcanine. The vision struck him speechless, and gave him flashbacks to the Indigo Plateau. He had battled hard with an Arcanine, one now that he felt he had never known. He remembered the heat from the rushing attacks, the singes on his clothes and the acrid smell of burnt hair. The feeling of winning. Wonder brought him back with a nudge from her muzzle, her nose now as big as the palm of his hand. Red was right – Green had trained her impeccably. She had grown through love, and unbreakable trust. And now, she was one of the biggest, most formidable Arcanine to ever evolve. Green was too fevered and hallucinatory to properly reprimand and congratulate her for using his only Fire stone to evolve before he wanted her to, but then again, their relationship had always been one of balance. Neither one fully commanded or neglected the other.

Wonder circled around him a few times before settling down into a lounging position, caging and cushioning his shuddering body with her own. Her scent was rank of slight dog-smell and sweat, though she was warmer than any electric blanket would ever be. Pride still obstinately clinging to him, Green tried to push himself up, but Wonder's heavy fore-paw wrapped around him in a hug, keeping him securely in place. He couldn't tell if he was dreaming or not. It didn't feel real.

After that, his thoughts echoed like lost voices in his head, reverberating with loneliness. He saw many past versions of himself, all jumbled and discolored. Red, again and again, holding him down as he laughed. Green watched every moment, every success, stolen right beneath him until he had nothing to stand on at all, and fell for hours in a dark void. Only when he landed on something soft and pleasantly hot did he realize what he had gained while lost: Wonder. And he clung to her with all his strength, yet he couldn't seem to get a good grip. From the darkness, a pokeball flew and smacked Wonder right in the forehead, absorbing her. And Red's laughter didn't cease.

* * *

" _Huhhh!"_ Green flew upward into a sitting position, panting hard, cool with sweat. Pressing a hand against his chest, he forced himself to calm down as he realized it was just a nightmare. He had fallen asleep? Glancing around the room, he first noticed the massive creature that had managed to cram itself onto the bed. Wonder, truly an Arcanine, curled with her head on his lap. Her magnificent warmth kept the covers imbued with heat, and she looked very clean and shiny in the soft daylight from the window.

The room was bright with the light, but it wasn't blinding. Instead it was muted and calm, the cream-colored walls keeping it that way. Green only got a few more seconds of glancing around (he could see it looked suspiciously like a hospice room) before Wonder stirred and picked her head up. Her big tail wagged in response to his alertness, and she licked some of the sweat off his neck with a slow, gentle tongue. He glared at her for treating him like he was invalid.

"I'm not dying, am I?" Green leaned his head back against the pillows, which were slightly elevated to help his breathing. One scan of the room helped him locate the tissues next to the bed, into which he blew several times and then sunk a few shots into the trash can. Green had to assume what he had feared had come to be – Red had heroed him back to civilization, glowing as the example to lead mankind, while Green looked like a moron. But his certainty wavered when Nurse Joy pushed into the room, carrying a tray of food. Chancy bobbled in after her.

"Good to see you're awake," she said, approaching with a smile. "You're fever broke last night, thankfully. Nothing too serious." Green stared as she tested tray angles, trying to set it down without making Wonder move or spilling the food. "Though you have sustained some worrisome physical wounds over time. I must ask you to treat yourself with more care in the future—"

"How did I get here?"

Nurse Joy paused for a moment, startled by the question, but then continued in a softer tone. "Your Arcanine brought you here on her back. You have her to thank."

Green blinked. Oh. So it was Wonder? Not Red? Immediately, he felt a great weight leave his chest and shoulders, and he slumped down in relief. Knowing that it was Wonder, not his rival, who brought him here made it all the more bearable. Absently he reached to stroke Wonder's head and ears, comforted by her presence.

"She's incredibly healthy," Nurse Joy was saying, adjusting some of the items on the tray. "You've raised her very well! If she doesn't take you to the Elite Four, I'm certain you could win some contests with her. Her temperament and beauty would get you far."

His eyebrows knitted together. Suggesting he go to the Elite Four? She… she didn't know who he was, did she? Everyone knew Oak's grandson prodigy was shown up by the country-boy neighbor years ago, and had disappeared into obscurity. It gave him an unsettling amount of joy to be unknown in this place. To be known only as a man, and not as his grandfather's failure.

"What is your name, sir?" she asked. "I really should phone your parents."

Parents… Green sighed.

"My name's…" He thought for a moment, tired mind scrambling for a foothold. "Name's Gary… and don't worry about phoning anybody."

"Well, all right Gary. Let me know if I can get you anything else! You may stay as long as you need, though I think you'll be feeling better in another day or two."

The lie went over well, at least. As the door shut behind her, Green turned toward the window and watched the trees. The sky. The land was mostly barren, with the fields and buildings far below. After some time, Green realized they were towards the base of Mt. Silver. He wondered briefly how long and how far Wonder had run. He dug his fingers into her fur, scratching until she growled with pleasure. Green loved her; she was the only living thing that had ever cared about him so much. She gave him strength, just as he gave her the same.

Maybe… maybe one day he would find Red again. Meet him on a route or in a gym. And maybe then he would be ready.

/lame ending lol


End file.
